Gitzo
Gitzo is a French company, founded in 1917. Its name was derived from the founder's name Arsène Gitzhoven. History page of the GITZO official website http://www.gitzo.com/Jahia/site/gitzo/pid/15658 'Gitzo' was a name given to an early shutter (see below) and later adopted for all products manufactured by the company. Initially Gitzo made camera equipment and precision accessories, especially shutters. After World War II it concentrated on the manufacture of tripods and tripod heads, for which it is renowned today. | image_rights=with permission }} History In the beginning, the company manufactured wooden as well as metal film backs adapted to the majority of the cameras manufactured in Europe. In the early or middle of the 1920s the company started to produce its own cameras, the Gilax series of 6.5 X 9, 6.5 X 11 and even 24 X 36 cm. In the 1930s Gitzo gave up the manufacture of cameras to concentrate its know-how on a range precision accessories. Gitzhoven registered a range of patents for shutters both France and the United States of America Shutter for photographic apparatus - United States Patent 1953556 http://www.google.com/patents?id=3VxcAAAAEBAJ. In addition to shutters the company produced as range of precision accessories such as delayed action mechanisms, flash connectors and cable releases. Gitzo shutters, rproduced at a rate of 750 a day, were used by a wide range of camera manufacturers (see list below). The firm ceased operations from 1942 to 1945. After World War II it continued to produce shutters and precision accessories, but also branched into the production of tripods from 1950. In 1953 Gitzo patented the first rapid column tripod, followed by the world's first carbon fibre tripod in 1994 and the World's first magnesium tripod head in 1996. In 1960, Arsène Gitzhoven retired and his daughter, Yvonne Plieger, took over the company. When Gitzo became part of the Vitec Group in 1992, the manufacture of accessories ceased and the company concentrated on tripods and tripod heads. Between 2001 and 2005 the company was gradually transferred from France to Italy. Currently (2008) Gitzo manufactures tripods, tripod heads and photographers' clothing. GITZO official website http://www.gitzo.com Company Logo The initial logo used by Arsène Gitzhoven was a capital 'A" inside a 'G' (called 'AG marking' in the list below). During the Art Déco era both the G and the O were stylised, with the 'O' shaped like a Greek ∆. Since 2002 the company logo is a dark blue square with the word 'GITZO' in the centre. Breveté Numerous descriptions of GITZO products in on-line auctions refer to the brand or product line "GITZO BREVETE" or "GITZO BREVETE SGDG." This is based on a misinterpretation. 'Breveté' simply means 'patent,' and "S.G.D.G." is an abbreviation for "Sans garantie du Gouvernement" which means that a patent had been applied for but not yet granted (akin to the 'Patent pending' in UK and USA parlance). Cameras Gilax series of 6.5 X 9, 6.5 X 11 and 24 X 36 cm; produced in the 1920s. Shutters Between the 1920s and the 1960s Gitzo was a renowned supplier of shutters for various French camera manufacturers. Arséne Gitzhoven held a wide range of oatents on shutters and shutter improvements. The list below is a complication of known shutter applications. It is certain that the list is incomplete and thus needs to be regarded as a work in progress. "STELLA" black and white disc (settings: 25-50-100-B-T, AG marking) Used in the following cameras: * Clément ** Ercé, (120) *** L. Clément Claror 105/6.3 "GITZO" VARIANT 1: black disc (settings: 25-50-100-B-T, AG marking) Used in the following cameras: * Caillon ** Stereo plate camera, (c. 1920) *** Krauss Paris Tessar Zeiss 85/4.5 *R. Delarue **Erdé *** Radior 105/6.3 *Héard & Mallinjod ** Hemax Folding 6 x 9 (c. 1930) *** Darlot Nemo 105/4.5 Sylvain Halgand 'Hemax Folding 6 x 9' http://www.collection-appareils.fr/Hemax/html/hemax_folding.php ** Hemax Folding 9 x 12 (c. 1930) *** Itier Itmar 135/6.3 Sylvain Halgand 'Hemax 9 x 12' http://www.collection-appareils.fr/Hemax/html/hemax_9x12_28765.php ** Siva (c. 1930) *** Hermagis Magir 105/6.3 Sylvain Halgand 'Siva' http://www.collection-appareils.fr/Hemax/html/hemax_siva.php * unknown manufacturer (6x9) (Photo-Plait name tag) *** Roussel Trylor 105/4.5 e-bay 190256383649 October 2008 * unknown manufacturer (plate camera) *** L Clément Triolor 105/4.5 *** Itier Excellor 135/6.4 VARIANT 2: red centre with black ring (settings: 25-50-100-B-T, AG marking) Used in the following cameras: **?? *** Roussel Trylor 100/4.5 * Balda ** 9x12 (plate) *** Boyer Topaz 105/4.5 *** Boyer Topaz 135/6.3 * Héard & Mallinjod ** Hemax Folding 9 x 12 (c. 1930) *** Lumiere Nacor 135/6.3 Sylvain Halgand 'Hemax 9 x 12' http://www.collection-appareils.fr/Hemax/html/hemax_9x12.php *** Darlot Nemo 135/4,5 * Merkel ** 9 x 12 *** Roussel Trylor 100/4.5 * unknown manufacturer (120) ***Hermagis Magir 105/6.3 GITZ∆ art deco face plate (settings: T-B-25-50-100, AG marking) Used in the following cameras: *Caleb (120) ***Berthiot 120/6.3 ** unknown manufacturer (120) ***Armor 105/6.3 Type 1 (settings: T-B-25-50-100-125, AG marking) Used in the following cameras: ** Rex 6x9 *** Boyer Topaz 100/4.5 Type 2R (settings: T-B-25-50-100-150, AG marking) Used in the following cameras: * Boumsell ** Azur *** Roussel Trylor 100/4.5 ** Cornu Reyna II (135) *** Berthiot * Olbia ** Type? ***Roussel 75mm * Pontiac **Bloc Métal 41 *** Berthiot Spécial 105/4.5 *** Boyer Topaz 105/4.5 *** Reported with a Kodak Anastigmat Spécial 105/4.5 (mistake?) ZOTIC I (settings: 200-150-100-50-25-B) Used in the following cameras: * Pontiac **Bloc Métal 45 ('Standard') *** Roussel Trylor 105/4.5 *** Berthiot Spécial 105/4.5 *** Berthiot Flor 105/4.5 GITZ∆-PARIS VARIANT 1: 200-25 Settings: 200-150-100-50-25-B Used in the following cameras: *Alsaphot ** Cyclope *** Boyer Topaz 105/4.5 ** D'Assas Norlin 6x6 (1953) *** Boyer Topaz 75/4.5 ** D'Assas 3 (c. 1953) *** Boyer Topaz 105/4.5 ** Memox 24 x 36 (c. 1949) ***Saphir 35/3.5 * Cornu **Reyna I (1942) *** Berthiot Flor 50/3.5 * Demaria-Lapierre **Telka XX c. 1950 *** Manar 110/4.5 * Olbia ** Omega Eikon (Pseudo TLR 6x6) (1947) *** Roussel Trylor 75/4.5Olbia 6x6 http://glangl1.free.fr/Photo2/Photo_O_692.html * Pontiac ** Lynx I (Lynx) (1942) *** Berthiot Flor 50/3.5 * Vergne **Atlas 6 x 9 (120) (c. 1949) *** Roussel Trylor 90/4.5 ** Atlas Automatic (120) (c. 1949) *** Roussel Trylor 90/4.5 VARIANT 2: 250-25 Settings: 250-200-150-100-50-25-B Used in the following cameras: * Olbia ** Omega Eikon (Pseudo TLR 6x6) (1947) *** ???Olbia 6x6 http://glangl1.free.fr/Photo2/Photo_O_692.html VARIANT 3: 300-25 Settings: 300-200-150-100-50-25-B Used in the following cameras: * Olbia ** Omega Eikon (Pseudo TLR 6x6) (1947) *** Roussel Trylor 75/4.5e-bay nº 230232028350 VARIANT 4: 400-25 Settings: 400-250-200-150-100-50-25-B Used in the following cameras: * Olbia ** Omega Eikon (Pseudo TLR 6x6) (1947) *** Olbia 75/4.5Olbia 6x6 http://glangl1.free.fr/Photo2/Photo_O_692.html *** Berthiot 75/4.5Olbia 6x6 http://glangl1.free.fr/Photo2/Photo_O_692.html AZUR - PARIS - FRANCE Shutter settings: T-B-25-50-100-150.—Used in the following cameras: * Boumsell ** Azur (1948) *** Roussel Triolor 105/4.5 NORCA-PARIS (settings: T-B-25-50-100-300) Used in the following cameras: * Fap ** Norca A 24 x 36 (1938) *** Berthiot Flor 50/3.5 Self-Timers "Auto-retardateurs" in the shape of syringes. Pneumatic delay mechanism up to 30 seconds Tripod Types Gitzo produced a wide range of tripods. From the 1960s onwards the pattern of tripods was uniform, based on a structure of "series' with increasing tube diameter: * 00 Table 5/8") * 0 Weekend 3/4") * 1 Sport (7/8") * 2 Reporter/Mountaineer (1-1/8") * 3 Studex & Inter Pro Studex (1-1/4") * 4 Pro Studex (1-1/2") * 5 Tele Studex (1-5/8") From 1970 onwards the tripods were painted in the distinctive “Noir Decor” hammered finish. Tripod Heads The company produced a wide range of tripod heads for still and video cameras. The most innvoative was the off centre ball head, which came in a range of sizes corresponding with the tripod. | image_rights=with permission }} Notes and References Category: Camera makers Category: Shutter makers Category: Tripod makers